Liang Zeng, Ph.D. - US grants

Physics (13)

An interactive engagement teaching approach using Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) is being implemented as a classroom interaction system and three different aspects of the implementation are being investigated. First, how does the interactive engagement teaching approach affect the conceptual understanding and problem solving performance of the introductory physics students? Second, how does the interactive engagement teaching approach affect students' motivation to learn physics concepts? And third, how does this teaching approach being implemented by traditional research faculty affect their pedagogical orientation?

The project is making a significant and unique contribution to physics and science education by studying implementation issues associated with using PDAs as a classroom interaction system at a predominantly Hispanic institution. The curriculum materials resulting from the implementation of this teaching approach are available for physics educators and curriculum developers and the research results provide an empirical basis for improving physics and science education at minority serving institutions where the majority of students are non-native English speakers.

This project is addressing the acute shortage of highly-qualified and certified high school chemistry and physics teachers in the South Texas region by enabling STEM majors to obtain an interdisciplinary teaching degree; the Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies (BSIS) in Physical Sciences (Chemistry and Physics). Twenty talented STEM majors in the last two years of their baccalaureate are being recruited and supported through the Robert Noyce Scholarship Program to obtain BSIS degrees in Physical Sciences with teaching certification. It is envisioned that a rigorous teacher preparation program like the BSIS in Physical Science, with the following support structures: competitive scholarship; mentoring; field experiences; student-centered classroom environment; strong collaboration among College of Education and College of Science faculty and staff; strong support from independent school districts; and a structured induction program, will lead to the production and retention of much needed highly-qualified and certified chemistry and physics teachers who will be teaching in high-need school districts of the South Texas region. The Robert Noyce scholar-graduates are expected to provide the much needed leadership in making STEM education more responsive to the needs, interests, and abilities of high school students, thereby increasing the number of youths who are enabled for success in STEM at the University level and beyond. The BSIS in Physical Sciences is the first university-based program in the Rio Grande Valley designed to produce high school teachers with strong content preparation in Chemistry and Physics and with sufficient pedagogical content knowledge, cognitive, and management skills necessary to be effective and efficient science teachers. The partner school districts that include Valley View Independent School District, Edinburg Consolidated Independent School District, South Texas Independent School District, and the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District, are all high-need districts in a predominantly Hispanic region with the majority of their students taking chemistry and physics taught by teachers out of their area of certification.

This project is focused on three main objectives: (1) to recruit high school students to pursue one of the following S-STEM fields at University of Texas Pan American - a B.S. in Chemistry, a B.S. in Physics, or a B.S. in Physical Science; (2) to promote STEM careers among high school students; and (3) to provide quality training, development, education, and student support services to S-STEM scholars to enable them to persist in their STEM field and finish their degree in a timely manner. Particularly noteworthy is that the project will provide an S-STEM Mentor Training Program that will be aligned with the mentor certification program of the College Reading and Learning Association. This program takes place in South Texas which has a high underrepresented Hispanic population.